| Abstract | Aspartam od svog slučajnog otkrića 1965. godine pa do danas izaziva niz nedoumica, a opisi
istoga variraju od idealnog sladila do opasne i otrovne tvari koja se koristi u proizvodnji hrane.
Aspartam (metilni ester L-a-aspartil-L-fenilalanina) je 1981. godine odobren od FDA (eng. Food
and Drug Administration) te je određen njegov prihvatljivi dnevni unos PDU (eng. Acceptable
Daily Intake, ADI). Aspartam je jedinstveno intenzivno sladilo koje se danas koristi pri
proizvodnji velikog broja prehrambenih proizvoda, a u probavnom traktu se pod utjecajem
esteraza i peptidaza razgrađuje do asparaginske kiseline, fenilalanina i metanola. Tijekom
proteklih desetljeća mnogo se istraživao utjecaj aspartama na ljudsko zdravlje, pri čemu su
zastupana dva oprečna mišljenja: s jedne strane se pokušalo dokazati toksične učinke aspartama i
pripisati mu kancerogena svojstva, dok se s druge strane (prvenstveno prehrambena industrija,
odnosno industrija umjetnih sladila) dokazivala apsolutna netoksičnost aspartama u slučaju kada
se koristi u odobrenim dozama. Cilj ovog rada bila je procjena rizika unosa aspartama na
nacionalnom nivou. Za procjenu izloženosti koristila se dvofazna metoda prikupljanja podataka
koja uključuje anketu o navikama potrošača u konzumiranju namirnica koje sadrže nenutritivna
sladila i kemijsku analizu grupe namirnica koja sadrže aspartam. Rezultati ovoga istraživanja
dobiveni su anketom o potrošnji namirnica koje sadrže aspartam i pretpostavljenom i utvrđenom
količinom aditiva u ispitivanim namirnicama ovome radu, prikazani su na osnovi izračuna
prihvatljivog dnevnog unosa u pet mogućih opcija unosa aspartama: (a) minimalistički za
cjelokupnu populaciju, (b) samo za konzumente hrane koja sadrži aspartame, (c) temeljem
procjene dnevnog unosa aspartama na osnovi maksimalnog udjela aspartama dozvoljenog prema
«Pravilniku o prehrambenim aditivima» N.N.173/4, (d) procjenom unosa u populaciji
konzumenata i maksimalnog dozvoljenog udjela aspartama po skupinama proizvoda te (e) na
temelju teorijskog unosa namirnica koje sadrže aspartam i maksimalno dozvoljenog udjela
aspartama u pojedinoj grupi namirnica. Karakterizacija rizika se provela usporedbom dobivenog
unosa (EDI) s prihvatljivim dnevnim unosom – ADI (EFSA, JECFA, Codex Alimentarius
Komisija). Utvrđeni procijenjeni dnevni unos je daleko ispod vrijednosti prihvatljivog dnevnog
unosa kako za cjelokupnu populaciju tako i za populaciju koja je konzumirala hranu s
aspartamom. Prekoračenje vrijednosti prihvatljivog dnevnog unosa dobiveno je u slučaju kada se
za izračun uzeo teorijski unos namirnica koje sadrže aspartam i maksimalno dozvoljen udio
aspartama u pojedinoj grupi namirnica (EDIteor./ ADI, 107%). Dobiveni rezultati uspoređeni su
sa sličnim istraživanjima u EU i svijetu, i u skladu su s onima u razvijenim europskim zemljama.
Na osnovi spoznaja do kojih se pri izradi ovoga rada došlo, nedvojbeno se nameće zaključak da
se pri primjeni aspartama u proizvodnji hrane mora voditi računa o dozvoljenim udjelima, a time
i o unosu aspartama hranom, posebno u slučaju osjetljivih skupina potrošača. |
| Abstract (english) | From its discovery in 1965 till today, aspartame has caused numerous dilemmas and its descriptions vary from ideal sweetener to dangerous and poisonous substance that is being used for food production. Aspartame, (L-α-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester) was authorized by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in 1981, when its ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) was defined. Aspartame is unique intensive sweetener that is nowadays used in production of many kinds of food, and in digestive tract it is broken down by esterases and peptidases into aspartic acid, phenylalanine and small amount of methanol. Impact of aspartame on human health has
been widely investigated during last few decades, whereat two opposite opinions were represented: one arguing in favor of its toxicity and carcinogenicity, and the other (primarily expressed by food industry, i.e. sweetener industry) trying to prove complete absence of aspartame toxicity if used in approved doses. The aim of this work was to perform aspartame
risk assessment on the national level. The two-phase method for data collection was used in order to carry out this risk assessment,. It included survey on consumer habits concerning consumption of foods containing non-nutritive sweeteners, and chemical analysis of foods that contain aspartame. The results of the questionnaire,on consumption of aspartame containing foods, assumed and determined amounts of additives in tested foods, were presented based on calculations of the acceptable daily intakes using five different approaches in assessment of aspartame intake: (a) minimalistic for the total population, (b) including only consumers of foods
which contain aspartame, (c) based on the evaluation of daily intakes according to the maximum permitted use levels defined by the " Ordinance on Food Additives" O.G.173/4, (d) combining intake in the population of consumers with maximum permitted use, and (e) combining theoretical intake of foods which contain aspartame with maximum permitted use levels in particular food group. Risk characterization was carried out by comparison of EDI with ADI (EFSA, JECFA, Codex Alimentarius Commission). The determined estimated daily intake is much lower than the acceptable daily intake both for total population, as well as for consumers of aspartame containing foods. The acceptable daily intake was exceeded when theoretical intakes of foods which contain aspartame were combined with maximum permitted use level (EDI teor. / ADI, 107%). The present results were compared to similar reports from the EU and
other countries and they were in accordance with the results obtained in developed European countries. Based on the results of this work, it can be undoubtedly concluded that application of aspartame in food production should closely follow the regulations on maximum permitted use levels in foods thus maintaining the intake of the additive, especially in susceptible groups of consumers, within acceptable range. |
